Criss Angel biography - Las Vegas Sun News Newsletter signup Criss Angel biography Criss Angel was born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos on Dec. 19, 1967. His parents, John and Dimitra Sarantakos, raised him and his two brothers, Costa and J.D., in East Meadow, N.Y., on Long Island. Angel credits his work ethic to his father, who was a successful restaurant and doughnut shop owner. John Sarantakos, who, like Criss, was dedicated to personal fitness, died from cancer in 1998. Criss Angel with Lucky the Rabbit Angel was bit by the magic bug at the age of 7 when his aunt Stella taught him a card trick. "From that day on, I was hooked," he said. "I felt this incredible sense of power that an adult didn't understand how it worked, but I did." Within a few short years, his illusion skills were honed to the point that he began giving shows, first for tips only and later for a fee. His first paid appearance was at the age of 12, at a neighbor's birthday party. His fee: $10. Even from a young age, Angel lived and breathed performance magic.

"Throughout my childhood and into my early teen years, I regularly made the trek from our home in Long Island, New York, to Manhattan, to go on auditions and go-see's," he said. He has admired master magician Harry Houdini since he was a child. At the age of 14, Angel was performing weekly at area bars and restaurants. He was a regular at the Long Island wine bar and restaurant, the Wine Gallery, where he said he "could easily clear a hundred dollars on a good night" on tips alone. It was around that time that he achieved his first major illusion: He made his mother float in the family den. Related information Higher education wasn't in the cards for Angel following graduation from East Meadow High. "My parents knew that college was not in my future," he said. "The thought of my becoming a professional magician was unbearable for them," Angel said. "They had hoped their three sons would go to college and become doctors or lawyers — but not a magician!" Angel claims he continued his education on his own after graduation. "I spent endless hours reading books at the library, studying magicians and their legacies," he said.

Though he never attended any traditional post-secondary institutions, Angel honed his craft on the road as he traveled with other performing acts. "It was a practical education, not a formal one," he said. The master illusionist married longtime girlfriend JoAnn Winkhard in 2002. The couple filed for divorce five years later, and it has yet to be finalized. Holly Madison (center), Criss Angel and the requisite bunny, at the Playboy Club. Since being served with divorce papers, Angel has been romantically linked to a range of beautiful and high-profile women, including Cameron Diaz, Minnie Driver, Fiona Apple, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Pamela Anderson and Holly Madison. Angel found himself in hot water in 2008 following a run-in with Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Norm Clarke. The two got into a shouting match outside the Planet Hollywood casino after Angel's then-girlfriend, Miss Nevada 2008 Veronica Grabowski, failed to advance to the finals of the Miss USA pageant. Clarke had reported in his April 11 column that Angel made inappropriate comments to preliminary Miss USA pageant judge Sandy Mecca.

Clarke quoted Mecca, who is married to Planet Hollywood CEO Mike Mecca, as saying Angel pressured her to give Grabowski good marks. In the column, Mecca stated she was uncomfortable after Angel approached her April 8 after the judging had taken place, and said, "I hope you're going to give my girl high marks." Angel and Clarke's heated exchange happened the day after Clarke's column was published. During the argument, Angel repeatedly called Clarke, "A f--king idiot," before he warned Clarke, who wears an eye patch, not to "ever write another word about me, or you'll need an eye patch over your other eye." Angel also gave NBC cameras the middle finger that day as they filmed outside Planet Hollywood. Clarke's account of the events can be found here . Grabowski didn't make the semifinals and Miss Texas Crystle Stewart was crowned Miss USA. Career Angel's first major series of magic shows were witnessed in 1998 at the World Of Illusion convention at Madison Square Garden. He repeatedly performed the same 10-minute show over and over again, every day of the 12-day convention. "I was exhausted at the end of the run," Angel said.

"This was definitely one of those things that I had no idea what I was signing up for when I agreed to do 60 shows a day." His next major break came in 2001 when his off-Broadway show, "Criss Angel Mindfreak," began its run at The World in The World Underground Theater in Times Square. Despite landing the permanent show, Angel said he continued to work hard and do double-duty to ensure it was a success. "I was the man under the baseball cap and dark sunglasses passing out flyers," he said. "I had to get the word out, so when I wasn't performing, I was promoting." By the time the show closed on Jan. 6, 2003, Angel had given more than 600 performances. After the off-Broadway show wrapped, Angel moved from New York to Las Vegas, where he turned his attention to his next project: a TV series. Criss Angel, at work on his upcoming season of Mindfreak on A&E. Angel's popular television show, " Criss Angel Mindfreak ," premiered on A&E on July 20, 2005.

Most of the show's episodes are shot in and around Las Vegas: The first two seasons were largely shot in and around the Aladdin Hotel (which has since become Planet Hollywood) while most of the third and fourth seasons were shot at Angel's current home, the Luxor. The show also regularly features other famous Vegas landscapes such as the Fremont Street Experience, Lake Mead and nearby desert areas. "Mindfreak" airs at 10 p.m. Wednesdays. Episodes are generally 30 minutes, although hour-long specials are common. The show is not available in high-definition. "Mindfreak" is scheduled to run for at least two more seasons. The current (fourth) season premiered July 23, 2008, and includes three hour-long specials in addition to 15 regular 30-minute episodes. The show was created by and is directed by Angel, and is produced by Angel Productions Inc. and The Firm, the talent agency that manages Angel's career.

Believe After more than a year of talks and negotiations, Angel joined forces with Cirque du Soleil in 2006 to start working on a Las Vegas-based spectacular aptly titled " Believe ." Angel often tells his fans that anything is possible if they believe — in themselves, in magic, in life. "Believe" is also the code word Angel's idol, Houdini, gave his wife in case anyone attempted to contact him in the afterlife. Several impostors attempted to — and claimed to — conjure Houdini's ghost, but none conveyed the secret code word. Houdini's wife eventually revealed the code word after several failed attempts. "Criss Angel Believe" premiered on the 82nd anniversary of Houdini's death. The $100-million show blends Angel's illusions with the extravagant costumes and world-class choreography that have become synonymous with the Cirque du Soleil name. The project was a joining of the minds for Angel and the show's other co-writer, prolific Cirque director Serge Denoncourt. Angel's contract with Cirque will see him perform five nights a week for the next 10 years, with a possible five year extension option after that.

Criss Angel, "Believe" choreographer Wade Robson and Wade's wife, Amanda. In all, Angel will give more than 5,200 performances over the next decade to as many as 15,943,200 people. "Believe" performances will take place at the heart of the Luxor in a specially built, 1533-seat theater. Tickets range in price, from $59 to $150, before taxes. The show involves 22 costumed cast members in addition to dozens of crew members behind the scenes. According to Cirque's official synopsis, Angel stars as a "surreal, enigmatic Victorian noble." The cast navigates the baroque theater of Criss' mind, resulting in "a high-energy visual feast, punctuated by moments of grace and sensuality." "Unlike traditional magic-themed shows, 'Criss Angel Believe' transcends any preconceived notion of what it means to be emotionally engaged by the arts of mysticism and illusion," it states. Cirque's sixth Vegas-based show was delayed several times before opening Oct. 31, 2008. Originally scheduled to begin previews on Sept.

1 before a public opening on Sept. 12, organizers in late June were forced to delay the premiere because of apparent "technical difficulties." Awards 2001: Magician of the year, International Magicians Society 2004: Magician of the year, International Magicians Society 2005: Magician of the Year, Academy of Magical Arts; Magician of the year, International Magicians Society 2007: Magician of the year, International Magicians Society 2008: Magician of the year, International Magicians Society Later, "enormous complexities and technical precision" were cited as the schedule was pushed back a second time. The second delay was announced Sept. 2, just 10 days before previews were expected to begin. Instead of pushing the entire schedule back, however, organizers simply canceled the first two weeks of preview performances. A third and final delay pushed the Oct. 10 premiere back to Friday, Oct. 31. Since the opening date of preview performances wasn't changed, the third schedule change effectively restored the two weeks of sneak-peek shows that were axed earlier that month.

Angel blamed the technical delays on changes and difficulties related to heightened fire codes and bylaws that were brought in following the January 2008 Monte Carlo hotel fire. He said new bylaws required changes be made to the theater, while increased safeguards were brought in, as well. While Angel said he, Cirque and Luxor fully supported the increased precautions, he said the additional measures delayed production substantially. "Criss Angel Believe" opened for preview performances Sept. 26, before it was unveiled Oct. 31 during an extravagant Halloween-night gala. Television and Acting Angel's on-screen experience isn't limited to his successful A&E series. He played "Luke Blade" in Episode 18 of "CSI: New York's" third season. The episode, titled "Sleight Out of Hand," aired Feb. 28, 2007. In the episode, Angel plays a murderous magician who kills his victims in ways eerily similar to the death-defying illusions he showcases in his act. Angel performed three illusions on the show: sawing a person in half, setting himself on fire and submerging himself in water. Angel also appeared on screen Oct.

24, 2007, in an episode of NBC's "Phenomenon." The show involves contestants who are competing for the title of "Next Great Mentalist" and Angel served as a judge alongside fellow illusionist, Uri Geller. During the show the contestant, paranormalist Jim Callahan, claimed to summon the spirit of author Raymond Hill and ask the spirit to reveal the contents of a locked box for his "Phenomenon" audition. Interesting Criss Angel facts Is a sagittarius His YouTube videos have been viewed five times more often than David Blaine's, and 10 times more often than David Copperfield's Has been named the International Magicians Society's "Magician of the Year" five times, which is more than any other performer Is trained in karate and has practiced with World Karate Champion 7th Degree Blackbelt and Karate Hall of Fame member Shihan Grant Campbell While Geller applauded Callahan's performance, Angel wasn't impressed. He called Callahan's act "comical" and challenged both Callahan and Geller to use their paranormal powers to determine the contents of two envelopes that he pulled from his pocket.

Angel offered to give $1 million of his own money to the person who successfully predicted the envelopes' contents. This unscripted "stunt" infuriated Callahan and Geller. A shouting match soon ensued and Callahan called Angel an "ideological bigot." As the argument escalated it became increasingly physical and security guards struggled to separate the two men. The live broadcast then abruptly cut to commercial. Angel later revealed the contents of one of the two envelopes: an index card with "911" written on it. He explained how, "If on 9-10 somebody could have predicted that 9-11 was going to happen, they could have saved thousands of lives." The personal attacks continued after the revelation. Callahan implied Angel was blasphemous and suggested the "Mindfreak" illusion where Angel walks on water was "his way of proving Jesus Christ wasn't real." Callahan also said, "Every Christian in the world should be angry with him." Angel is slated to appear in a film adaptation of the Lee Falk comic, "Mandrake the Magician." He will play the character of Mandrake's father, Theron, who is the headmaster of the College of Magic and the guardian of the mind crystal.

While no production dates have been announced, shooting is expected to begin in 2009. Other Angel published "Mindfreak: Secret Revelations," on April 24, 2007. The 295-page book details the early beginnings of his career, memorable demonstrations from his TV show and personal reflections. "Secret Revelations" also contains several pictures and provides step-by-step instructions for 40 of his basic Mindfreaks. Laura Morton helped the magician write the book, which has since been named a Los Angeles Times bestseller. Angel has four independent musical releases, including one three-disc set, on APITRAG Records: "Musical Conjurings from the World of Illusion" (1998); the "Trilogy" three disc set (2000); "Mindfreak" (2002); and "Criss Angel Mindfreak" (2006). Criss “Angel” – the Magician/Illusionist – or New-Age Satanic Messiah? | The Story Behind The Story The Story Behind The Story With A. True Ott PhD Hey there! Thanks for dropping by The Story Behind The Story!

Take a look around and grab the RSS feed to stay updated. See you around! Filed under: Uncategorized — 42 Comments February 27, 2013 “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” —2nd Thessalonians 2:9,10 There is “sleight of hand” for entertainment purposes – and then there is Criss “Angel” (as in FALLEN ANGEL) ——- red fingernails and all. Talk about “Deceivableness and Unrighteousness”!! I am concerned about this because this deceiver’s “fan base” is massive and growing every day. His blind and duped disciples are blindly crowning him the “Returned Jesus Christ.” BELIEVE IT!! He is even more dangerous than Mormonisms Joe Smith! I kid you not. Of course, this is not by accident. The man named Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos is consciously fueling this deception.

It is not mere sleight of hand being employed – though that is used as well. He clearly has an agenda. His stunts are specifically designed to imitate Jesus the Christ’s documented miracles. WHY THEM SPECIFICALLY? He turns water into wine. He levitates. He even walks on water. The problem is, he is also an ardent Satanist. To the left is Criss Angel’s Symbol — On the right is the Universal Symbol of Anarchy, and of course Satan’s Pentagram below. Get it? A friend of mine, living in Las Vegas and who has been to Sarantakos’ shows, thinks I am “stodgy and over-reacting”. He maintains that Sarantakos is just being a good entertainer – and in reality Criss is really a very nice guy. RIGHT! Just like when I have interviewed WICCA witches and warlocks who maintain their “Magic” is only used for good. They are “WHITE WITCHES” they maintain. Funny, they all dismiss Jesus Christ as nothing but a fine teacher – some even believe Christ was their “Elder Brother”. But remember, by their “fruits” (their teachings) you may know who they really are.

Criss Angel Says Korn is One of His favorite Bands In the Mindfreak TV series, season one, Criss Angel openly admits that Korn is one of his favorite bands. Korn (sometimes typeset as “KoRn” or “KoЯn” to fit their official logo) is a Satanic nu metal band from Bakersfield, California. Nu metal is a combination of punk, groove, and heavy metal rock. The album cover to the left clearly has a pedophilia overtone being victimized by a “slasher”. Also, notice the little girl being hung from the “K” in Korn. Also, notice how closely the “K” resembles Criss’s logo. These people are demented. Never forget: satanists are empowered demonically via pedophilia, terrror and human sacrifice. It is NOT harmless “entertainment”! The album cover to the right is simply beyond creepy. Notice the decapitated teddy bear’s head and the demonically possessed child’s soul-less eyes. Behind the child are demon effigies – human bodies with animal heads.

The entire spirit of Korn’s music is demonic, filled with sadism, and aimed at destroying the Christlike innocence of youth. Still not convinced? Here’s Criss Angel’s “favorite” – the “Nu Metal” Korn’s Satanic lyrics to their song, Hypocrites… Your messiah was never mine [repeated 10 times] Hypocrites! in a ring of burning metal How you wanna be, what you gonna say it doesn’t bother me, who ya gonna pay Sorcerers and Satan’s come To define the what and why People travel across this earth Over water, land, and sky How you wanna be, what you gonna say it doesn’t bother me, who ya gonna pay Pay the ferryman, pay the fuc**ng driver Pay the preachers and pay the fuc**ng liars And here’s the lyrics to their song, Twisted Transistor… Hey you, hey you, Devil’s little sister Listening to your Twisted Transistor Hold it between your legs Turn it up, turn it up Low end is coming through Can’t get enough Keep this in mind as you watch the Fallen Angel in action: Criss Angel EXPOSED! Criss Angel EXPOSED! By David J.

Stewart | August 2007 "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." ï¿½2nd Thessalonians 2:9,10 Criss Angel's works are of the Devil. Criss' real name is Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos. It is interesting that he chose to change his name to "angel," as in FALLEN ANGEL. Please understand that I don't condemn anyone, for the Bible condemns all of us as guilty, dirty, rotten, hell-deserving sinners. My salvation solely rests in Christ's righteousness, because of the precious blood that He gave for our sins. My intention is not to be unkind; but rather, to expose evil influences in society. I don't expose people; I expose their works of darkness as Ephesians 5:11 commands. I certainly have nothing personal against Christopher Sarantakos. The Bible tells us that the Antichrist will deceive the masses by using power, signs and lying wonders.

Manipulation of one's body, levitation, mind reading, bizarre behavior, the cross of Jesus in handcuffs... these are works of Satan! The Antichrist will appear as a beautiful man and woo the masses with his charisma. With power, signs and lying wonders, he will deceive the masses and the world will idolize him. John 8:44 calls Satan the father of all liars. The Antichrist will deceive the masses with LIES. If you think this is mere innocent fun, think again. Here's a video on YouTube titled Criss Angel = Jesus... At the end of the video, a message appears which states... Criss Angel is the 2nd Coming of Jesus... Believe It! Criss Angel has also publicly walked on water, leading people to believe that he is Jesus. This is very disturbing folks. Magician, David Blaine , has also publicly attempted to IMITATE the miracles performed by Jesus. You see, Satan is continually trying to discredit the Lord Jesus Christ. No man can perform the miracles which Jesus did ; BUT, Satan tries to IMITATE Christ's miracles to deceive the masses.

We clearly see this folly in Moses' time, when Pharaoh called for his magicians to IMITATE the miracles which God had wrought by the rod of Moses (Exodus 7:11,22; 8:7,18). There is nothing new under the sun. Satan's followers today are still trying to imitate the works of God, in an attempt to discredit the Word of God. Criss Angel, the Occult and Satanism After doing a little research online, it's was easy to discover the illusions and tricks behind Criss Angel's stunts and performances; HOWEVER, many people don't know this. Criss appears to walk up and down the side of a building, but he's actually being supported by clear cables hanging from a helicopter. A careful look at Criss walking down the side of a building shows that the clouds above are not moving at all. These are all cleverly planned and practiced illusions. This is exactly what Satan specializes inï¿½illusions. Satan shows us the neon lights of Las Vegas, but the local hospitals, prisons and morgue reveal the truth about sin.

Satan shows the young woman, who's about to give up her virginity to some creep, an illusion of a happy family and a husband that cares about her. The truth is far different. Many young women have given away their virtue under some illusion, just to find themselves lonely, betrayed, and heartbroken. The Devil is a LIAR and a thief (John 10:10). Every unsaved person is a child of the Devil, whether they realize it or not (John 3:36; Ephesians 2:2; 1st John 3:10). Sadly, Criss Angel is a child of the Devil, and his illusions are true to Satan's nature. We read in 2nd Thessalonians 2:9 that the Antichrist will deceive the masses of this world using "lying wonders." Satan is a master illusionist. Above: Criss Angel of Mindfreak. He looks more like a fallen angel from Hell. Notice carefully on the necklace Criss Angel is wearing above, that he places his symbol above and below the cross. One cannot deny that Criss' symbol unquestioningly resembles the symbol for anarchy and witchcraft.

Also, in the actual Mindfreak show on TV, red flashing lines extend the symbol, which causes the human mind to think it's a Pentagram. This is Satanic. The symbol of anarchy An ordinary pentagram Above: The pentacle and the pentagram are the exact same thing, a five pointed straight-edged star... http:/ / Satanist, Aleister Crowley The U.S. Dollar The New World Order (i.e., the forming beast system of the Antichrist) is commonly symbolized by the Pyramid and the All-Seeing Eye . Satan is the god of this world (2nd Corinthians 4:4). The above symbol clearly shows the connection between Freemasonry and the New World Order. Satan, who is the god of this sinful world, controls the world through occult groups, informally known as the "Illuminati." Such groups include Skull and Bones , Bohemian Grove , Freemasonry , the Rosicrucians, Knights of Templar, Knights of Columbus, etc. Please read, Satanic Occult Symbols in Washington D.C. Here's a diagram of the Illuminati power structure.

As Christians, we simply need to be aware of what is going on, and stop voting and supporting occult presidents who are servants of Satan. If you'd like to learn much more about the occult, please read Be Wise As Serpents by Fritz Springmeier. Criss Angel is of the Devil, and the sinful world accepts him (John 15:19). Criss Angel is accepted by Wiccan witches, Satanists, sicko freaks, and Christ-rejecters everywhere. As Christians, we are to stand uncompromisingly against Satan's works of darkness (Psalm 94:16; Ephesians 5:11). Criss Angel's works are worldly, and the world is God's enemy (James 4:4). Someone said to me that Criss Angel is a nice guy, who loves his mother, and is only making a living through entertainment. That certainly may be, but his works are still of the Devil. Ozzy Osbourne , who has expressed nothing but hostile contempt for Bible-believing Christianity, claims his Satanic Rock-N-Roll concerts are only advertising gimmicks. Remember, Satan is a liar (John 8:44).

Wiccan witches claim they are "good" witches, who practice "white" witchcraft. Nothing could be further from the truth and God calls them liars (1st John 2:22). Wiccans worship hundreds of Pagan deities; BUT, vehemently reject the deity of Jesus Christ. Satan is the ultimate freak, and he wants your mind. Criss Angel Says Korn is One of His favorite Bands In the Mindfreak series, season one, Criss Angel openly admits that Korn is one of his favorite bands. Korn (sometimes typeset as "KoRn" or "KoЯn" to fit their official logo) is a Satanic nu metal band from Bakersfield, California. Nu metal is a musical genre that originated in the mid 1990s. It is a combination of punk, groove, and heavy metal. The album cover to the left clearly has a pedophilia influence. Also, notice the little girl being hung from the "K" in Korn. These people are sickos! Korn is of the Devil. The album cover to the right is creepy. Notice the decapitated bear's head.

The entire spirit of Korn's music is demonic, filled with sadism, and aimed at corrupting the innocence of youth. Here's Korn's Satanic lyrics to their song, Hypocrites... Your messiah was never mine [repeated 10 times] Hypocrites! To define the what and why People travel across this earth Over water, land, and sky How you wanna be, what you gonna say it doesn't bother me, who ya gonna pay Pay the ferryman, pay the fuc**ng driver Pay the preachers and pay the fuc**ng liars And here's the lyrics to their song, Twisted Transistor... Hey you, hey you, Devil's little sister Listening to your Twisted Transistor Hold it between your legs Turn it up, turn it up Low end is coming through Can't get enough Korn is sick, sadistic, and Satanic. If you are a Christian young person, then I plead with you to run from the evil influences of Korn and Criss Angel. Lucifer is a fallen angel, and Criss Angel is clearly of the Devil. Satan is a Master Illusionist Satan can perform miracles .

2nd Corinthians 11:13-14 reveals that Satan transforms himself into an "ANGEL" of light to DECEIVE people. In my opinion, it is more than coincidence that Criss Sarantakos chose the name "ANGEL." Magicians are serving the Devil, hiding their secrets from their viewers. The very nature of magic is deceit, which is synonymous with gambling, pool halls, and loan sharks. Magic is a form of witchcraft, that deceives the audience. It is by the same art of illusion that many people are cheated out of their life-savings. It is by the same art of illusion that false prophets lead people into Hell. The mighty Bible teacher, Dr. M.R. DeHaan, states concerning the Antichrist... "In considering the policy and claims of the personal Antichrist, we must remind you again of a key that will help much in understanding his methods. Remember that he is the Antichrist.

As we trace his course through the Word, we find that, like the saints in Revelation, he follows 'the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.' His purpose is to make men believe that he is the true Christ and God, and therefore he imitates Christ, making the same claims and doing many of the same miracles. For this reason both Jew and Gentile will readily accept him as the great master mind and coming deliverer." SOURCE: THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS, pg. 140; by M.R. DeHaan; 1944; ISBN: 0-8254-2483-6 It is by the same art of illusion that so many people are conned, hurt, and victimized. God hates magic, because it deceives people, which is exactly why most people are going straight to Hell when they die (Matthew 7:13-15). I say this with great sadness. Jesus spoke openly to the world.

Jesus said in John 18:20, "Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing." God does not attempt to trick, or deceive, us. God is upfront, and honest, telling us in His Word EXACTLY what He expects of us. In sharp contrast, Satan is a liar (John 8:44; 10:10), and his followers are liars too. Satan always uses illusions, trickery, and deception. The very nature of magic is Satanic. The beast system is forming, and the average Joe in society today is woefully ignorant of what is happening. 2nd Thessalonians 2:10 tells us that those who don't love the truth will follow the beast into perdition. Please don't fall prey to Satan's illusions. The blood of Jesus Christ is one's only hope of escape (John 14:6).

Biography: Criss Angel - 2010 - Magic Television : MGTV Biography: Criss Angel Original Air Date: July 31, 2010 Entertainer. Criss Angel was born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos on December 19, 1967, into a Greek-American family. Angel and his two brothers, Costa and J.D., were raised by their parents, John and Dimitra, in East Meadow, New York. Angel says that he learned his diligent work ethic from his father, a fitness junkie who owned a successful restaurant and doughnut shop until he passed away from cancer in 1998. Angel fell in love with magic at 7, when his Aunt Stella showed him a card trick. "From that day on, I was hooked," Angel remembers. "I felt this incredible sense of power that an adult didn't understand how it worked, but I did." He practiced magic tricks obsessively, and gave his first magic show at the age of 12—at a neighbor's birthday party, for a fee of $10. While attending East Meadow High School, Angel performed frequently at neighborhood restaurants.

He was a regular act at a Long Island restaurant called the Wine Gallery, where Angel says his tips "could easily clear a hundred dollars on a good night." After graduating from high school, Angel decided to forego college to pursue a career in magic full time. His decision to skip college angered his parents. "The thought of my becoming a professional magician was unbearable for them," Angel recalled. "They had hoped their three sons would go to college and become doctors or lawyers—but not a magician!" Despite his parents' objections, Angel hit the road and began touring with other traveling performance acts. In between traveling and performing, Angel attempted to further his education on his own by studying the history of magic in public libraries. He also studied the art of mysticism, music, martial arts, and even dance. "It was a practical education, not a formal one," Angel said. In 1994, Angel made his prime-time television debut in the ABC one-hour special, Secrets. In 1998, Criss Angel: World of Illusion headlined New York's Madison Square Garden during the city's annual Halloween convention. He performed the same 10-minute show 60 times per day throughout the entire 12-day convention.

His performances there landed Angel his next major gig, a permanent show at the World Underground Theater in Times Square. Criss Angel: Mindfreak opened in 2001 and ran for over 600 performances before closing in 2003. During the popular and critically acclaimed show, Angel vanished and reappeared, made doves fly out of his hands, changed a $1 bill into a $10 bill and made audience members appear to levitate. In 2005, Angel transformed Criss Angel: Mindfreak into an A&E reality TV series. Filmed on the streets of Las Vegas, the show became an instant success, and catapulted Angel into the realm of bona fide celebrities. Some of the show's most infamous stunts include Angel walking on water, splitting a woman in half in a public park, and flying over the Valley of Fire while suspended from a helicopter by his bare skin. One of the most popular shows ever to air on A&E, Criss Angel Mindfreak has run for five seasons.

Propelled by the popularity of Mindfreak, Angel partnered with Cirque du Soleil to create a new live show, Criss Angel Believe, to run at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. Believe was named after the code word Angel's idol, the legendary magician Harry Houdini, gave his wife to confirm whether anyone had contacted him in the afterlife. The show, which weaves together Angel's illusions and theatrical acrobatics, premiered on the 82nd anniversary of Houdini's death in 2008. Unfortunately, Believe received relatively poor reviews from audiences and critics. At the end of one 2009 show, Angel infamously spewed insults at gossip blogger Perez Hilton, who had Tweeted mid-show that "Believe is unbelievably bad." Angel added another TV series to his repertoire, when he performed as a judge on NBC's 2007 reality TV series Phenomenon, a show featuring contestants competing to be named the next great mentalist.

In an interview about the show on Larry King Live, Angel, who does not believe that anyone possesses supernatural capabilities, stated, "If somebody goes on that show and claims to have supernatural psychic ability, I'm going to bust them live and on television." He lived up to his words. Angel got into a shouting match with contestant Jim Callahan after Angel called his attempt at necromancy "comical" and offered Callahan a million dollars if he could tell him the contents of a sealed envelope. Callahan could not, and Angel later revealed that the envelope contained an index card printed "9-11." He explained, "If somebody could predict, tell us on 9-10 that 9-11 was going to happen, maybe that could have prevented it." Besides his career as an illusionist, Angel is also a musician. He has released five albums, a self-titled trilogy and two soundtracks for Criss Angel Mindfreak. In 2007, Angel published a memoir, Mindfreak: Secret Revelations , which appeared on the Los Angels Times bestsellers list. Criss Angel maintains a rock star persona. He sports an all-black wardrobe, long hair, heavy eye makeup, and abundant metal jewelry.

He counts rock stars Tommy Lee and Korn frontman Jonathan Davis among his closest friends, and since his wife of five years, JoAnn Winkhart, filed for divorce in 2007, he has dated a series of high-profile women including former Playboy covergirl Holly Madison. Angel's live and televised performances have earned him the International Magicians Society's prestigious "Magician of the Year" designation a record five times (2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008). He is also the only magician ever to appear on the covers of both Magic magazine (October 2003) and Genii magazine (December 2003), the most popular and respected magic magazines worldwide. In addition, he was unanimously selected as the recipient of the 22nd Louie Award for outstanding achievement in the art of magic. Besides their pure entertainment value, Angel says he sees his shows as "raising questions that provoke more thought, more controversy, and a desire, at least on a personal level, to live to your greatest potential." In order to achieve this mysterious effect, Angel keeps the methods behind his performances a closely guarded secret.

Describing his technique in characteristically enigmatic fashion, Angel once wrote, "Sometimes my art is just an illusion—or is it?" Additional information provided by: Magic Strick Believe Performers Mindfreak Video Trailer | Criss Angel Helps A Dole From The Dead - YouTube Magic Strick Believe Performers Mindfreak Video Trailer | Criss Angel Helps A Dole From The Dead Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Feb 17, 2015 Magic Strick Believe Performers Mindfreak Video Trailer | Criss Angel Helps A Dole From The Dead As he was going down, suddenly spotted a dove dying left dangheumochangrit and separate head. He was also a blessing dove head alive again.It's one of the greatest possible.He is a deity,Criss Angel. Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos (born December 19, 1967),[1] better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American magician and illusionist.

Angel began his career in New York City, before moving his base of operations to Las Vegas. He is known for starring in the television and stage show Criss Angel Mindfreak and his live performance illusion show Criss Angel Believe in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show generated $150 million in tourist revenue to Las Vegas in 2010. He also starred in the television series Believe on Spike TV, the television show Phenomenon, and the 2014 stage show Criss Angel Magicjam. Criss Angel helps rescue escape artist from drowning - UPI.com Criss Angel helps rescue escape artist from drowning The celebrity magician postponed his new show's opening night following the incident. 1 of 3 | License Photo MASHANTUCKET, Conn., June 26 (UPI) -- Criss Angel helped rescue fellow escape artist Spencer Horsman from drowning this week. The 46-year-old magician came to the America's Got Talent season 7 contestant's aid after he became trapped in a water tank during rehearsals for Angel's show The Supernaturalists.

Horsman lost consciousness as he was suspended in the vessel 30 feet in the air with his hands bound. The disturbing incident was caught on video as Criss and several stagehands scrambled to pull Horsman from the tank. "Criss was terrified," an eyewitness told the Las Vegas Sun . "He ran onto the stage mid-performance screaming to the crew to 'get him down' ... They were all screaming. This was no illusion. This was high-stakes drama." Angel postponed the show's opening night to Friday, and Horsman is expected to be well enough to perform Saturday. The Supernaturalists is scheduled for a four-week run at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. "In an effort to ensure the safety of the cast and crew, we had to move the opening night," Angel said. "This was a close call with near-disaster, but it assures that the audience will experience a revolutionary, mind-blowing show proving just how real magic can be." The celebrity illusionist, born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, came to fame in the 1990s, and has appeared on several TV specials and A&E reality series Criss Angel Mindfreak.

He currently stars with Cirque du Soleil in Criss Angel: Believe at the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas. 1000+ images about Criss Angel on Pinterest | Blue man group, Illusions and Luxor criss angel 2013 | Criss Angel - Cirque du Soleil's 'One Night for One Drop' Clean Water ... See More 1000+ images about Criss Angel on Pinterest | Angel, Fix my car and Album Criss Angel is amazing. He is an excellent magician and illusionist.. & he's cute :p Worth Of Watching Him See More

Question: What “magician”, born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, is the “genius” behind the Mindfreak tv show and the Believe Las Vegas show?
Answer: Criss Angel